


Chained

by RipJawWolfFang



Series: Wings in Chains [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Anxiety, Castiel Whump, Dark, Injurys, M/M, Post Traumatic Stress, Protective Dean, Slave Castiel, Slave master Crowley, hurt cas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-05
Updated: 2015-08-23
Packaged: 2018-03-29 04:59:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3883207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RipJawWolfFang/pseuds/RipJawWolfFang
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where demons are out in the open, and have made slave of the Angels, Sam and Dean Winchester are saved my an escaped slave while there father is out hunting. The boys watched helplessly as the act of kindness leads to the capture of there saviour- dragged off in chains to await punishment.  A decade later, Dean still remembers that night, and returns to that same town every year to search for some sign of the demon who took him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cursed Beasts

It was in the bitter cold moments before the dawn that day that Dean Winchester, at the young age of 15, would be saved by someone who would change his life forever. 

His dad had told them to stay in the car, that this monster would not come close. He had put up special wards in an attempt to protect his boys. They would have worked to, if he had been right about what he was infact hunting. 

Strange noises off in the distance kept Dean's mind occupied. He had never heard anything like it before, though the hard drops of water drumming against the roof largely muffled whatever it was that he was listening to. 

John Winchester had told his boys it was some kind of possessed animal. It would be easy to ice it, if that's all it was. A few rounds of rock salt, some holy water, or if worst came to worst lopping it's head off and burning it's body should work. It was hard to imagine that there father would have any trouble at all with something so simple. 

Those noises kept coming though, they sounded far away at first, but got closer and closer. It sounded like a low rumble, starting and stopping almost conversationally, from somewhere up ahead. 

The younger Winchester absently looked out the window into the rain, only turning when it felt like forever had passed to the young boy. 

"When's dad coming back?" He asked, even knowing that his brother did not have the answers. 

Dean just shook his head, how was he supposed to know? It's not like he didn't disappear like this all the time, though tonight he wished they had been in a warm, dry motel room rather then the cold car parked off the side of the road in a small town filled with a whole lot of nothing. 

Three loud cracks echoed in the distance, and the roaring came to a sudden stop. The elder of the pair smirked to himself, sure that was the end of it. Another hunt well done and another beast in the bag. 

Sam sighed and turned, his eyes suddenly opening wide and jumping back across the car onto his brothers lap. Dean was about to scold him when an ear splitting screech, like nails on a chalkboard, ripped through the car. The glass around them shattered as a huge black figure ripped the door off its hinges and started fishing around in the car with outstretched claws. 

"What is that thing!" Sam screamed, bailing up closer. It almost looked like a bear, but the darkness obscured the creatures features. 

Dean however did not care what it was, he opened the left hand door that he had been leaning against and dragged his brother by the sleeve out. 

"It doesn't matter, just run!" He pulled his brother along by his shirt sleeve.

Sam was slow, though. slower then Dean and much slower then whatever creature had suddenly jumped them. 

Hungrily, it gave chase. Running on all fours, it was almost as big as the impala. Black fur bristled in the moonlight, bright white fangs and claws that had torn through steal looked bright against the stark backdrop of its rough coat. 

"Damn it run faster sammy!" Dean yelled, but before he knew it the creature was ontop of them. He could feel it's hot breath on his back as it gained speed.

The younger Winchester suddenly lost footing, sliding and crashing to the ground with a loud thud. Dean turned, only to see dark black orbs peering back at him, jaw open, ready to lunge for the kill. 

He shut his eyes tight and gritted his teeth, waiting for the pain that was sure to come. 

there was a loud crash like a house toppling over, and a roar of agony that lasted only a few seconds. The elder opened his eyes, just a tiny crack, then let them fall open completely. 

Before him stood a boy not much older then him, his eyes a beautiful crystal blue and his hand outstretched, burning the creature with a bright white light. Dean recognised what he sore immediately from the chain around his neck, snapped off, but the sigils still glowing a deep blood red against the black steal. He was naked from the waist up, and his pants where torn from running through the forest, unable to fly with the collar weakening his powers. 

He was an angel, he had to be. When the life was completely drained from the beast he sank to his knees, exhausted and panting heavily. 

"Dude! That was awesome!" He pulled his brother to his feet, still somewhat in shock. 

The angel crooked his head to the side, seemingly confused by the statement. "You nearly died, how was that 'awesome' ?" 

The older brother could do nothing but choke out a hoarse laugh. Holding out his hand for the angel, who took it gratefully. 

"I don't know where you came from but you saved our asses!" 

"Yes, well. I must be going immediately." 

Before Dean could even wonder where his protector was so keen to run off from when he clearly could take care of himself, the sound of footsteps could be heard fast approaching, and the young angel darted off. 

The Winchester boys didn't have to wait long before they had there answer. four black eyed demons, each with cross bows dipped in holy oil, came rushing from the trees. They didn't even stop to blink at the children, they where after an escaped slave and now they where finally making real ground. 

"Dean?" Sam looked up at his brother, worry in his eyes. "We can't just leave him." 

"Go back to the car sammy, tell dad if he's there!" As soon as his brother turned to head for the car he was after the demons, though he did not have to run far. 

No sooner had he reached the next little clearing was there the loud thunk of bolts leaving the demons weapons, shooting through the angel no more then ten feet ahead. 

The elder boy gagged, blood coming up out of his mouth as he collapsed to the ground in a heap, a pool of the warm fluid quickly forming around him as they rushed to reattach his shackles. 

Dean cursed himself and his back behind a bush. There was no way he could get to him now. The relationship between demons and humans on the surface looked good, but he did not want to test it by taking on four at once. Instead he watched helplessly as they dragged the angel that saved his life by the legs over the rocky ground. 

Just as they where getting out of sight, Dean heard one of them turn on a radio. 

"We have recovered Castiel. Bringing him to you now." 

Dean would never forget that name.


	2. Ten Years Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten years down the road, and Dean finally picks up the trail of an angel that could be his.

"Dean." Sam's voice pulled his older brother from his daydream, "are you even listening." 

Green eyes blinked a few times before refocusing on his brother, who sat across the table from him. empty plates that once contained there breakfast still sitting in front of them while sam had his laptop open, half way through reading an article when he had realised Dean was no longer paying attention.

"Nope." He admitted, taking Another long sip of his coffee. 

"You're the one who wanted to come all the way out here again, Dean. You should at least pretend to pay attention." the younger brother scolded, crossing his arms in an unhappy huff. 

"I just don't know why it's so hard to find one friggin angel, that's all." The elder sounded frustrated, a decade of searching on and off, and still he had not found the angel that rescued them. 

"Look, I know you want to find this guy, and I do to." he paused, looking back at the screen and the list of the numbers of known salves in the area. "But these Angels get traded like baseball cards, and we have no way of knowing which one of these numbers is even his. For all we know, where tracking the wrong guys number." 

Dean put down his coffee and pointed to the highlighted set of code, "This guy was on record as being punished for an escape attempt right around the time we had that hunting accident. It's gotta be him, sammy." 

"Dean-" 

"Look, I know we've missed him before, but where in the right town now." The elder Winchester sounded more confident then he actually was, inside his stomach was turning at the possibility of letting him slip through his fingers again. "So let's just get in the car, drive to this Crowley guys place and have a poke around." 

Sam set his jaw, he was tired of searching. He had been dragged around half the country since there father passed away more then a year prior, leaving Dean for the first time to his own devices. He knew his brother needed his help on this, but they really didn't have much to go on in the first place, and Sam had resigned himself a long time ago to the idea that the angel that helped them was probably long gone. Sold off to an unnamed buyer, and then dumped in a hole somewhere. 

Just after the incident, John had put six months himself into trying to track down the one who rescued his boys. It was before there was a data base on all the captives kept by demons and humans alike. Usually, a demon would capture a creature, or breed it, bind it and then sell it on. Sometimes to a human who felt they where in need of protection, sometimes to other demons, who could use them to fight one another in bloody battles to the death, and sometimes even into brothels, to be used until they died by whoever had the cash to pay for it. 

"Fine." Sam shook his head slowly. "But where not here to start any trouble with these guys." 

"I'll be on my best behaviour, scouts honour." 

"You where never a scout, Dean." He rolled his eyes, then closed his laptop and got to his feet. 

"Pft!" Dean waved it off, abandoning what was left of his coffee to head to the impala. 

Walking out of the diner into the cool winters air gave them both the chills for a moment. The air was so cold, they could see each others breath as they walked into the car park, and slid into there now equally cold vehicle. As soon as they where seated, Dean cranked up the heater all the way. 

The trip was quieter then usual, neither saying a word over the music, or the roaring engine. Dean looked over at Sam a few times, hoping that they would finally find the one they had been searching for. The younger looked out the window, though. Almost sure they was once again, going to find nothing. He wondered if he could convince Dean to turn his attentions onto something else. Back to hunting, maybe. 

After what felt like hours, but was only 20 minuets, they arrived at the huge property of the demon in question. It sat on a huge plot of land, that seemed rather bare in its openness. The dark stone house was offset by the green of the field around it, and a drive way of black tar stretched all the way up to the door, every inch of the yard around it manicured to perfection. 

As the elder Winchester climbed out of the car, he looked around, trying to get his bearings. Knife firmly tucked away in his dark grey jacket, just encase. Sam did much the same, though it was the two stories of stone before them that caught most of his attention. They both simply took it in for a few long moments before they made there way to the door. Pressing the button with a glance towards each other that firmly said 'I've got your back' even without words. 

Dean was about to press the button a second time when a skinny, sickly looking angel, all to familiar chain around his neck and white clothes covering his far to pale body. Dark hair was short, and rough, and his eyes looked weary beyond there years. Other then the glowing shackles, he could have passed for human in this state. He was not the angel they where looking for, but both boys felt pity for him and his current state. The elder was not a fan of monsters, not even angels, but the conditions they where kept in still turned his stomach every single time. 

"Hey, err, where looking to get my brother a new pet." Sam started, a little shakily. They had to play it cool, but at the same time his Conscience was kicking him on the inside for even suggesting this was an alright way to treat another sentient being. 

Dean gritted his teeth as well, acting casual was more difficult then it should have been, since they hadn't even made it through the door yet. 

"Yeah, I'm looking for a real feisty one." He shoved his hands into his pockets as he said it, trying to contain the anger at having to do this yet again. 

"Master Crowley is this way, follow me." The angel stepped aside to allow them in, then scattered along in front of him. Leading them down the dark hall, deprived of natural light, with its wooden door frames going one by one. Dean peaked in each one, but there was no sign of his angel anywhere.

Finally they reached the end of the hall, and the angel lead them into a large office, with a big window facing the back of the property. The carpet was a deep red, and the desk was made from heavy wood, as was almost all the other furniture in the room. 

"Master Crowley, these men wished to buy one of... My brothers... From you..." 

"Do they now?" The small, dark haired man replied with a slight accent, Waving off the angel that left with a glare. "So, what can I interest you in then, boys? House keeper? Protection?" He grinned, always happy to make a deal. "Bedfellow?" His expression became slightly darker at those last words. 

Dean stepped forward, though he was not the best negotiator of the two, he was determined. "I'm looking for a feisty little pet, actually." 

"May I suggest a ferret? Perhaps, some kind of rodent? It's not like keeping a puppy, they will bite the hand that feeds them." 

"Yeah, I know that. I want..." He dug his nails into the palms of his hands,which where still hidden in his pockets to hold back the urge to hurt the son of a bitch. "Something a bit more intimate then that." 

"Right, well, then." He got to his feet, smirking, "I'll lead you to the ones I currently have for sale."

Once more The elder Winchester dug his nails into his hands while Sam clenched his teeth together in an attempt to appear more casual. Being a little wary was probably common amongst Crowley's guests, but he didn't want to look like a bleeding heart, and risk having the demon jack up the price. 

This time they moved towards the back of the house, then, slowly, down stairs into a very dank, very cold basement. Dean wasn't sure how it was possible, but it was actually colder in here then it was outside! 

"Here you go, pick any one that takes your fancy." They took a deep breath, looked at each other again and slowly walked across the room, angels tied to the walls by there neck, feet and legs, forced to sit, or kneel. 

The brothers looked at each one slowly, carefully inspecting one after another. Some where far more fit, while others had waisted away to nothing. It was clear, the demon had different intentions for all of them. 

As the elders eyes adjusted, things became clearer and he moved further away from the dull overhead lights and towards the back of the room. 

The further he got back, the stronger the smell became, infection and rotting flesh. and the cause of it was discovered quickly. Four dead angels, piled naked on top of one another, laying in the back corner. Tossed aside like garbage, in full view of there fellow slaves. It made bile rise in Dean's thought, but he pushed it back to have a closer look, preying his angel was not among them. 

The demon was amused by the disgust, "your first time buying from a dealer, I take it?" 

Sam decided to respond, though his voice was a little choked up by the same sent and sight. "Yeah, it is... We had a... Free range one growing up." 

"Good if you can keep them under control, would need a stronger collar." Crowley gave another amused chuff of laughter. 

Dean put his hand to his forehead for a moment, then slowly turned, looking towards a bare, to pale body, leaning up against the wall on the opposite side of the room. He shuffled closer, leaning down and lifting his limp head up. Bright blue eyes, dull with pain, met the hunters and immediately they seem to recognise each other. 

"Castiel?" He whispered, to quiet for the others to hear, wanting to confirm his hunch. Blue eyes closed, and the broken angel gave a tiny nod. Every part of Dean, right down to his toes, suddenly tingled with excitement. All this time searching, and finally, finally he was found!

"Hey, man, want this one." Dean ordered, a little faster then he should have. 

The demon contemplated it for a moment, "this one?" He picked up a dark, leather looking collar, with glyphs that where for the moment only a dull grey. 

"Yeah, this one." 

"I don't take responsibility if it dies in the next few days, no refunds." The demons eyes searched the boys faces. "I'll cut you a deal, since this ones in such bad shape." 

Sam turned to Crowley, about to write a check for the demon when he shook his head and stopped him. "No. I don't want money. I want..." His gaze fell on Dean, "you have a very unusual knife with you. A knife that kills demons, correct?" 

Dean stiffened for a moment, "yeah, for self defence, of coarse. Can't be to careful with the creeps around these days, am I right?" He deflected, still crouched by the barely breathing man. 

"I want it." There was a twinkle in his eyes. "Something like that, comes around once in a lifetime. I'll trade you, the knife, for this one." 

There was a moment of hesitation. He didn't know how the demon knew he was armed, but it gave him a level of security just having it there. This knife, it was a once in a life time find. There would never be another one like it. Yet, there would probably never be another chance to bust out Castiel again either. 

"Fine." He got to his feet, taking out the knife and holding it by the blade, handing it to the now smirking demon. 

Quickly, Crowley grabbed Dean's hand faster then he could pull back, using the knife to cut into his palm, making it rapidly bleed. 

"You son of a bitch yo-" 

"Settle down, scrappy. All part of the contract." He let the blood from the knife drip down onto the collar in his left hand, each ruin lighting up bright red as it seeped in. In a quick movement, he clipped the new collar around the exhausted angels neck. There was a burning, seething light that peeked out from the edges that touched as the old collar went dull and fell away. Even as weak as he was, the angel gave a groan of pain at the sensation, though it slowly begun to fade. 

"All yours, buttercup." He unlaced his legs and arms, then stood, "do you want some help, I can send Balthasar to carry him to the car for you, or can you drag him out on your own?" 

"We will be fine on our own." Dean didn't want to trouble one of the other enslaved angels, adding insult to the injury of having a brother bought and sold like cattle by making them move him. 

Sam moved to the angels side, taking in the sight for a moment before carefully putting his arms around under his knees, leaving it to his brother to lift him up under the arms. Hopefully, they could move him without causing to much stress on his body. 

Crowley waited, playing with his new toy, running his finger along the blade, almost testing its sharp edge. It gave off a glow he has recognised, even under Dean's clothes, and it was to tempting to turn down. He watched as the brothers fumbled, awkwardly carrying the body up the stairs, and down the hallway. 

"If you find anything else like this, your welcome back here for seconds." He gave a final twisted grin as they escaped out the door, closing it behind them. 

Finally! Finally they did it! Dean gave a relieved laugh, it almost broke through the nausea and anger of actually having to be in there. though this relief didn't last long. Out in the sunlight, they could finally see the extent of the angels wounds. Large, gashes, his body had been ripped from one side to the other across the stomach. Cool skin looked even greyer outside, and the faint movements of his chest where rapid, and short. 

"Shit... Sammy..." He looked up at his brother as his legs where laid on the ground so the younger could open the car door. 

The younger looked back sympathetically, he could see just as clearly as Dean the damage that had been done, and that's only what they could see. He was on the verge of death as it was. 

"We'll get him back to the hotel, and work it out from there." Sam picked up the mans legs again, carefully helping Dean load him across the back seat. 

The elder chucked Sam the keys, and climbed in with him. He had to try to bandage him up while they where moving, or he doubted they would get back to the hotel. 

"You don't want me to do it?" The younger asked, surprised. 

"No, I can handle it." He insisted, taking out the first aid kit from under the seat as his brother circled the car to get to the drivers side of the old, but well cared for black car. Carefully he lifted the angels head and sat back in the seat, then just as delicately he laid him down on his lap. 

Dean took piles of gauze, pressing it to the dark haired angels sound in an attempt to slow the bleeding as the car pulled out of the drive way. 

"Good thing you bastards are tough, hey feathers?" He almost whispered, not wanting to disturb his rest but needing to distract himself from his patients gurgling pants. "If I looked like you right now, I'd be a goner." 

He could hear the fluid in the angels lungs, there was probably far worse internal injuries then they could see but a human hospital would never treat someone like him. The demons had there human counter parts so sure that the other creatures out there where filthy, and dangerous, that most people blatantly ignored there suffering. It was the demons, after all, who granted there wishes when they needed it most. Shady crossroads deals had long since become public knowledge, and people where quick to snap up those extra few years of happiness at the cost of the soul they had never seen nor needed in there day to day lives before them. What did the angels ever do for them, even before they where put into chains three sentries ago?

Dean signed, looking down at the one who had once saved there lives. 

"Hang in there."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you enjoyed reading so far!!


	3. Stitch

With his head comfortably rested in Dean's lap, Castiel slowly opened his dull, but still crystal blue eyes. He could barely make out much of anything in the unnatural fog and between the pained sounds of his own struggled breathing and the car motor, the world seemed to be almost frighteningly loud. 

He tried to shift, though his body would not move under his command and his body was wracked with a strange, cold tremble. 

The angel gulped, it was so hard to breathe now that it felt like he was being held under the surface of the water. A painful spasm moved up his back, and every joint in his cold, pail body felt like it was frozen stiff. 

The elder of the two brothers looked down over him one arm across the angels stomach to hold the gauze in place and the other cradling his head so the bumps in the road didn't do to much damage to his already frail body.

"Hey, you in there?" Dean asked, his voice slightly rough with the stress of the whole situation weighing on him. Not that he would let them see it, though. He had to be strong for sammy, and now for Castiel to. 

The angels eyes flickered up to meet green, visibly distressed by his situation. It was getting harder and harder to draw in breath, and his chest heaved with the effort. In response the winchesters heart sank, and he pulled the cold body just a little closer. If he was going to die here, he at least wanted to show him the gratitude he had not been able to so many years ago. 

"I don't know if you remember..." He started in almost a whisper, not wanting to waist the one opportunity he might have. "A few years back, you got caught because you stopped to help me and sammy, we where being attacked by this big demon bear in the forest and you iced it before it could kill us." 

There was a short pause, while Dean collected his thoughts. 

"I wanted to return the favour." Now though, he wasn't sure he could. Hell, he wasn't even sure the angel could understand him at this point. 

"Where almost there, Dean." Sam tried to encourage as he turned the last corner into the parking lot. At least if they got him into the hotel he could keep there charge comfortable, he doubted the backseat of a fast moving vehicle would be much fun for someone with his level of injuries. 

When the car finally came to a stop the younger quickly jumped out, opening running ahead to unlock the door before returning and opening the door closest to his brother.

Carefully Dean lifted him out, keeping a hold under both of Castiel's arms, and letting the taller of the pair take his legs firmly and lead the way back to the room. Sam scanned the area around them as they walked. Seeing an angel like this probably wasn't going to get them into trouble, but it would attract unwanted attention that they just didn't need at this point. 

As soon as the gasping angel was laid down on one of the two beds in the small, poorly lit and sparely decorated hotel room, Sam took off again, this time after the first aid kit and his laptop. Surely there would be at least some information on there on how to treat an angels wounds, and if there wasn't, he would just have to call bobby. 

Dean quickly set to work trying to get the angel stable again, pulling the blanket up over his bare waist and then applying pressure back on the gaping wound. The movement made Castiel groan painfully, And blue eyes scrunched shut to bite it back. 

Once his brother returned, opening the first aid kit on the bed next to wound, Dean didn't even have to be told what to do. He moved up, holding the angels arms and head still while the gauze where peeled back painfully. 

The edges of the wound where jagged, and his insides where clearly visible beyond all of the blood. Sam was used to seeing some pretty nasty Injuries; fractures that left bones sticking out of the leg, head wounds that wouldn't stop bleeding, even a gunshot wound or two, but he had never seen anything like this on a living creature, much less tried to fix it. 

"Can you sew it up or what?" Dean gruffly interrupted his thoughts, his brother was taking way to long! 

"I don't know, I can try." He wasn't sure what good it would do at this point, but he had to do something. 

Sam ripped open the packet of suture needles and the nylon stitches before he tried to carefully pull the edges of the wound back together. It was slow going, but once the needle pierced the flesh, and came cleanly out the other side, he begun to gain confidence in his actions. 

The angel struggled against the elders firm grip just a little. The slight shifting seemed more as though it was an involuntary reaction to the agony of having the gash poked and prodded then a deliberate attempt to escape, though Dean was not sure he was strong enough to do much else even if he wanted to. 

"I've got you." He tried to sooth, not sure what else to say or do to comfort him. 

Blue eyes where clenched shut in pain, and stiff, pail fingers gripped at the ugly, green sheets- now spotted with angel blood- as the younger Winchester continued the difficult job of putting him back together again. 

"Can't we give him something?" Dean finally huffed out in an almost pleading tone, sick of watching the angel suffer. 

"Yeah, sure Dean. I'll just stop doing this, run down to the drug store, buy some supernatural strength ibuprofen and be right back." Sam retorted sarcastically, carefully pulling the last of the stitches closed and tying it off. 

Normally, the elder would have called him a bitch for the snarky comment, but he had more important things on his mind right now. 

"I don't know how much more of this he can take, Sammy." He looked back for the first time, worried expressions meeting for a long moment of unspoken anxiety. 

"The worst of its done. Help me wrap it up, and then I'll check online to see what else we can do." He let out a long, strained sigh and helped lift the angel into a sitting position so Dean could wrap the bandages around his midsection. 

With his head slumped forward, blood trickled from between pale blue lips as the once proud servant of God gurgled it up from his lungs with each breath. It was hard to imagine that this creature could tare both winchesters in two with ease at full strength. He seemed about as dangerous as a box of wet kittens at this stage. 

Dean slowly laid his charge back into the pillows, pulling the blanket up over him to try to keep his body warm. The elder Winchester could tell Castiel would be in for a hell of a fight just to get through the next few days, angel or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as usual I'm hoping your enjoying this as much as I enjoyed writing it!  
> I love hearing from you guys! Thanks for all the encouragement!  
> The next chapter will be up hopefully very soon!  
> I know this one is really short ^.^' but I'll updaite quick!


	4. Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trying to save an angel

Chained 4

Dean flopped back in a chair he had dragged beside the angels bed, and rubbed his hands over his face and through dark hair that was slightly slick from sweating. He glanced over to his younger brother who was just coming back in from washing his hands, ready to try to search for something, anything on the Internet, that could help them treat the angel. 

Sam looked back, eyes locking with his brother in a sympathetic look. He took a deep breath and turned to his laptop, opening it up and immediately setting to work searching. It was surprisingly difficult, as common as angels where as slaves for demons, actually caring for them once they where injured wasn't top priority for anyone. The best he could even gather up was from websites dedicated to fighting monsters, how to keep a champion alive long enough to win more money. Even then, good information seemed scarce. 

The elder Winchester reached over and took the Castiels cool hand in his own, giving it a few comforting strokes and letting his hand smoothly run down to his pulse in his wrist. 

" He's getting weaker, sammy..." He huffed gruffly, "tell me you've found something." 

"Well yeah." Sam looked back over them again, thoughtful. "Not a lot that you're going to like though." 

Dean gave a huff, "tell me anyway." 

"There's a lot here talking about how the collars restrict healing-" 

"So we take it off then?" Dean cut him off with his first obvious thought. 

"That would be a really good way to kill him, Dean. If it was that easy, don't you think I would have said so already? If you try to break the collar in any way, it will kill him instantly. Fry his brain like an egg." Sam looked back at the page, frustrated already. "Pain killers don't work, not in any realistic dose anyway. There tolerance even with the collar on is 10 times higher. It kind of just says bandage them up, stitch there wounds then fight them again as soon as posable before they bleed out all over the place." 

Dean shook his head in disbelief, no, there had to be something they could do! He didn't come this far for the angel to die on him like this. He looked back down at the covers, trying to think of a way to put his thoughts into words. What could he even say to Castiel? Thank you for saving us when we where kids, sorry for putting you through all that pain trying to save you, look on the bright side at least you get to die in a cold hotel room with terrible curtains? Nothing he could say would make it any better, even if the angel could hear him. 

"Look, it dose say they respond to the same kind of treatments as humans, warm compresses, oxygen and fluids." He through out there, "he's still hanging in there, so I'll just go find some medical supply's somewhere and we can just... Support him through it..." The words caught in Sam's throat a little, he knew the implication would not escape Dean. 

"Just try to make him comfortable, is that it?" The elder pushed back the urge to yell, though he felt like it. Screaming at Sam wouldn't revive the angel, it would probably just frighten him. "That's all we got?" 

Sam took a deep breath and walked to his brothers side, putting his hands in his pockets and letting the air rush out. There was nothing he could say either that would improve there situation. "I'll be back soon, okay? I'll call bobby, he'll know something or someone." 

"Yeah... Yeah I know." Green eyes flickered up to him in a silent thank you for a brief moment before fixing back on the odd green blankets that where now dotted with red blood. "Get some more blankets okay? Thick ones." 

"Sure." Sam nodded and quickly made his way out the door, grabbing the keys to the impala on the way out. 

Dean listened to every step he took, then the rev of the engine and the sound of tires crawling along the rough asphalt outside. He waited for the sound of his beloved car to completely disappear into the distance before he spoke. 

"Okay, Cas." He told the sleeping angel firmly, not sure if he could hear but not wanting to do anything that would frighten him. "I'm gonna come under the covers with you, okay? I know... What they have probably done to you, the demons..." He paused for a long moment, gulping back the angry bile as it rose up into his throat, "I won't do that, though, I won't hurt you. I'm just going to keep you warm until Sam gets back, okay?" 

Green eyes scanned the tired and bruised face laying beneath him. Dean hadn't expected an answer, but consent would still have been nice.

"Okay then." The elder Winchester took off his jacket, and then his boots and jeans, leaving on his boxers so he didn't make the angel to uncomfortable just in case he did know what was going on. Slowly, carefully he pulled up the blanket and wriggled in close, putting his arms around the cold body that lay stiffly in the middle of the double bed. 

As he wrapped his arms around Castiel, dean couldn't help but feel a little dirty. He wondered how many others had put there hands on him, only to beat, abuse and break his now dying form. 

He put his head down on the pillow, and held the angel close. "Just trying to keep you warm. I won't hurt you." He repeated quietly in a slightly horse whisper. "It's okay. You're okay." 

The Angels body felt cold, dead, it barely moved and there was the occasional contraction of muscles in his arms, legs, chest and face; clear signs of pain and distress tearing through his fragile body. 

"Damn it." He whispered, pulling the angel a little closer as his charges chest visibly tightened and his breath hitched. He wanted to do something, anything to relieve the obvious suffering. Castiel could hold on for days in agony, or he could slip away in the next few, irregular heart beats.

In the mind of the angel though, it was relatively peaceful. He may not be able to fully put together what was happening to him; sounds came and went in waves as his consciousness faded in and out, but he could feel the intent of the human at his side, and for once it was not to harm him. 

Pain washed over him when he attempted to breathe deeply, and he could feel the blood rattling around in his lungs. Castiels grace reached out though his body, trying desperately to heal wounds that where beyond it. Held back by the collar, all the flittering power could manage was to cause a burning agony as it stalled death though he was starting to wish it would come faster. Even so, he felt more at ease then he had on a very long time. 

He felt Dean's hand run up and down his side in a feeble attempt to try to get the skin beneath his fingers warm. It was a nice gesture, though, and it was not lost on the Angel. 

Green eyes watched the struggle with each breath for as long as he could bare, then closed his eyes and just held on; Slowly accepting that Castiel wasn't going to miraculously recover. 

This was his first time doing this, watching someone die slowly. As a hunter he has seen death before but there was something awful about watching someone suffer that he couldn't truly put into words. 

There was another little convulsion that ripped through the Angels chest, causing a gasp and even a gurgled cry of pain. 

"Shhh... You're okay..." Dean desperately tried to calm his charge, though it was almost enough to bring tears to his eyes. 

Castiels body slowly loosened, stilled. The elder Winchester gave a sigh of relief though it was quickly replaced with horror when the Angels chest failed to rise again. 

"Son of a bitch!" He cursed loudly, sitting up over the Angels body and quickly trying to find a pulse. "Damn it! Come on!"

When the younger Winchester entered, all he could see was his brother, leaning over the sickly angel in the bed, his cheek just above Castiels lips, desperately searching for vital signs. There was a moment where Sams brain didn't process what he was seeing properly and he froze, though it didn't last more then a second when he sore the pure horror in his brothers gaze. 

"Sam!" Dean called out to his brother, "he's not breathing!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys I know this took a really long time.   
> There's been a tragedy in my family where my adopted father, has fallen gravely ill.   
> Naturally, I've been stressed and depressed and simply have not been able to get this chapter done until now. Hopefully, my next chapter will be more speedy, but please be paitent and understanding. I'm kind of going through hell myself right now-   
> #alwayskeepfighting


	5. Last chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just one last chance to save a life.

Sam dropped the bag and immediately moved to Dean's side, and the elder hung his head with a soft sigh. 

"Goodbye cas, I'm so... So sorry... I wish we found you earlier..." He ran his fingers absent minded lay through the Angels hair with one hand and raised the other to his neck to feel a pulse and honestly surprised when it was still there though faintly. He guessed it would take a little longer for Castiel to shut down completely then a human, but the thought that he could still be in pain in there made him grit his teeth. 

"Dean! We can still save him!" 

"With what, Sam?" Dean's voice was firm, but shaken. He didn't want the angel to be put through mouth to mouth or CPR. He was slipping away now, quietly. He would sit here with him, rub his head, try to make sooth any of the pain he might have been still feeling.

"No Dean, bobby got back to me!" Sam interrupted quickly, "he said, Angels can heal themselves if there touched by a human soul! It probably wouldn't heal him completely, but it might be enough to get him on his feet!" 

Dean looked up at his brother, almost agitated by the suggestion that the angel could do anything right now let alone 'touch his soul' or whatever that meant. 

"Look, I know he's hurt, but maybe you or I can sort of... Touch his soul or grace or whatever instead? I've got the ritual here, if we hurry, we might still be able to do this, Dean." 

Green eyes scanned the angel for a moment before deciding to at least give it a shot. If he looked like Castiel was suffering, Dean would stop. 

"Fine, how do I do this." 

"You don't want me to do it-" 

"Come on Sam!" Dean interrupted, voice clearly showing his deep frustration with the whole situation, "hurry up and show me before his heart stops!" 

"Okay you normally have to let the angel in and draw this on your chest with there own blood... And they have to have your permission." He pulled out a photo on his phone that bobby had sent him. Dean had never seen a sigil quite like it. Round, with a strange looking letter in the middle. It was scribbled in ink on old paper that was stained and tattered, text below written in a language he couldn't even begin to read. "The angel then just kind of reaches in...Maybe if we draw it on his chest, he will let you in?" 

Before Sam could even finish, Dean took his knife and cut the palm of his right hand, quickly but carefully drawing the mark. He didn't really know if he was doing the right thing, in some ways he just wanted to let the poor creature go with his dignity rather then painting him in blood and groping his soul. Was that allowed? Should any one go feeling up someone else's essence? It didn't seem like it should be okay with anyone, but here he was about to do it to cas. 

When he was done he put his hand down on the mark, which glowed briefly in a bright red, and then his hand seemed to sink right through. It was warm inside at first, then it started to hit Dean that right where the Angels body was wounded, it felt like his very own body was being ripped apart. He looked down, nothing. Not even a red mark. Was he just feeling the pain from the body beneath him? 

"Damn it..." He groaned, but left his hand deep within his charges body. He hoped it would just be this easy, that the blue eyed male would take a gasp and recover, but it sure didn't seem that way. 

"Sam?" Dean grunted, now trying to bite back pain that wasn't his. 

The younger looked just as baffled by why it wasn't working though, but quickly combed his hand through his hair and thought hard. 

"Okay so maybe... Maybe you have to concentrate and ask permission?" He suggested, not seeming to confident and more then a little taken aback by the sight of his brother with his hand stuck in another males chest. Somehow, it was a little more... Real... Then he expected. 

Dean Winchester nodded, closing his eyes and concentrating hard. 'Alright, Castiel' he thought, 'you gotta let me in man, I'm doing what I can to help but you gotta let me.' 

There was a weird tingling sensation and the words seemed to float into his mind like a warm breeze on a cold day, leaving pleasant chill that made his hairs stand on end. Even though he was in pain now, it was a blissful sensation unlike anything he had ever felt before.

'I don't... Understand...' It came, in a soft and weak whisper. 

"Woah!" Dean couldn't help but grin a little. It was a very pleasant feeling, though quickly the reality and there time limit sunk back in and he concentrated again. 

'Angels can heal themselves with a human soul right? I'm here to help.' There was a soft, strange buzz as the Angels thoughts where scattered. His brain must have been starting to shut down, because there was a numbness there that seemed unnatural even to Dean. 'Come on! We don't have time for this! Just Lets get to the awkward, spirit stroking.' 

'It will cause you great... Discomfort' even on his own mind, the angel seemed exhausted and breathless. 

'Fine, whatever! Do what you gotta do!' Dean impatiently called back to the weak voice in the void. 

There was another soft confused noise in his mind, then everything became suddenly so bright and he gave a loud noise of pain as the full extent of the blue eyed males pain was suddenly on him, shooting up his arm like fire and causing him to become short of breath, and break out in a sweat. It was so real, and it hurt so much, but just as quickly as it came, it left, and the angel seemingly pushed Dean out to avoid harming him more. 

Panting, the elder fell back, damn it hurt! "God damn it!" He almost roared, not wanting to be so quickly forced out when he wanted so badly to continue helping, if that's what it took. He could take the pain, and was almost insulted by being shoved away so soon! He wasn't a child, he could handle it.

He reached up to grab the angel by the shoulders, wanting to yell at him for the sudden lock out when he noticed something different; lips now just a little less pale. 

Dean paused and then put his cheek back down to the Angels lips, feeling a soft puff of breath, steady but still shallow against his sensitive skin. Another grin made its way over his lips, this time it even reached his eyes and caused him to let out a soft and relieved laugh as the tension seeped out of him. 

Castiel was still sleeping, but now there was an odd feeling of quiet peace that surrounded him, and both of the young winchesters where relieved to feel it. 

The elder flopped back in the bed next to the angel, he was exhausted but the victory left him grinning even now. He felt like he had won a card game with death himself, and it was almost as exhilarating as it was painful! 

"Guess it worked huh?" Sam smirked a little, as though he never doubted it would. It was a silent ' I told you so' to his brother who seemed to have already given up. 

Dean didn't much care though, and he couldn't keep the grin off his face as he closed his eyes and finally relaxed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahaha so I'm back!  
> I have great news! My pop had 3 open heart surgurys and a pacemaker put in, but he is on the mend! 
> 
> <3 so I can get back to writing again!  
> Thank you for all your patients!  
> Thanks for reading!  
> Enjoy!

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first supernatural fic! I've been meaning to write it forever. :3  
> I hope you guys enjoy!


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